Calibrachoa plant named &#39;Kakegawa S45&#39;

ABSTRACT

‘Kakegawa S45’ is a new variety of Calibrachoa plant. This new variety has deep blue colored flowers and dark green foliage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] ‘Kakegawa S54’ originated from a hybridization made in November1998 in Kakegawa, Japan. The female parent was a Calibrachoa breedingline with rose colored flowers known as KL1 (not patented). The maleparent was Calibrachoa variety ‘Liricashower Blue’, (U.S. Plant Pat. No.PP9885.

[0002] In August 1998, F₁seed was sown from this cross and 30 plantswere transplanted to outdoors. Three plants were selected for creepingand branching habit and intercrossed to produce F₂seed. In February 1999the second generation seed was planted in the field at Kakegawa andplants with different shades of blue and red flowers were observed. Twoplants were selected for deep blue flower color and creeping, branchingplant habit. In August 1999 these plant lines were then vegetativelypropagated and grown to flowering stage in pots. Trait stability wasevaluated during the summer of 2000 in greenhouses in Japan.

[0003] The breeder selected one line, for its flower color andabundance, to be vegetatively propagated and further evaluated inSalinas, Calif. during 2001. This selection was subsequently named‘Kakegawa S45’ and was determined to have its trait characteristicsfirmly fixed.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

[0004] This new Calibrachoa plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs which show blooms, and foliage of the plant in full color,the colors shown being as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures.

[0005]FIG. 1 shows the mature inflorescence;

[0006]FIG. 2 shows the entire plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE GENUS CALIBRACHOA LLAVE & LEX

[0007] The genus Petunia was originally established in 1803 by A. L.Jussieu, who described both P. parviflora and P. nyctaginifloa as typespecies. Using a non-horticultural system that selected the firstmentioned species as the type species (lectotype), N. L. Britton and H.A. Brown declared P. parviflora as the type species for Petunia in 1913.

[0008] During the 1980's and 1990, H. J. Wijsman published a series ofarticles regarding the ancestry of P. hybrida, the Garden Petunia, andthe inter-relationship of several species classified as Petunia. Thesestudies discovered that P. hybrida and its ancestrial species, P.nyctaginiflora (=P. axillaris) and P. violacea (=P. integrifolia),possessed 14 pairs of chromosomes while several other species, includingP. parviflora, possessed 18 pairs of chromosomes. Since P. parviflorawas the lectotype species for the Petunia genus, Wijsman and J. H. deJong proposed transferring the 14 chromosome species to the genusStimoryne. Horticulturists opposed reclassifying the Garden Petunia andin 1986, Wijsman proposed the alternative of making P. nyctaginiflorathe lectotype species for Petunia and transferring the 18 chromosomespecies to another genus. The I. N. G. Committee adopted this proposal.By 1990 Wijsman had transferred several species, including P. parviflora(=C. parviflora) to Calibrachoa, originally established by Llave andLexarza in 1825. Calibrachoa parviflora (=C. mexicana Llave & Lexarza)is now the type species for the genus Calibrachoa.

[0009] Classification of the current Petunia and Calibrachoa species isstill in progress. New species are also being identified. Consequently aproper description has not been written for the Calibrachoa genus.Calibrachoa can, however, be distinguished from Petunia based on thehigher chromosome number, chromosome morphology, plant branching habitand type of flower bud aestivation. Whereas Petunia species bear aflower peduncle and one new stem from a node, Calibrachoa bear a flowerpeduncle and three stems. Petunia species have a cochlear corolla bud, asingle outermost petal covers the other four, radially folded andterminally contorted petals. Calibrachoa flower buds are flat with allfive petals linearly folded and the two lower petals forming a coveraround the three other petals and fused together.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS FOR PLANT GROWTH

[0010] The terminal 1.0 to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem wasexcised. The base of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a1:9 solution of Dip 'N Grow (1 Dip 'N Grow: 9 water) root inducingsolution immediately prior to sticking into the cells trays. Cuttingswere stuck into plastic cell trays having 98 cells, and containing amoistened peat moss-based growing medium. The cuttings were misted withwater from overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until sufficientroots were formed. The vegetative cuttings were propagated in five tosix weeks.

[0011] Rooted cuttings were transplanted and grown in 20 cm diameterplastic pots in a glass greenhouse. Pots contained a peat moss-basedgrowing medium. Soluble fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10%phosphorus and 20% potassium was applied once a day or every other day.Fertilizer was applied in irrigation water. Pots were top-dressed with aslow release fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 18%potassium. The typical average air temperature was 24 C.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

[0012] The following traits and characteristics describe the newvariety.

[0013] Classification:

[0014]Family.—Solanaceae.

[0015]Species.—Calibrachoa spp.

[0016]Common names.—Petunia.

[0017] Parentage:

[0018]Female parent.—breeding line KL1 (not patented).

[0019]Male parent.—Liricashower Blue U.S. Plant Pat. No. PP9885.

[0020] Growth:

[0021]Habit.—decumbent.

[0022]Height.—23.0 cm.

[0023]Spread.—115.0 cm when grown in a 41 cm hanging basket or pot, andusing five 20 cm potted plants in one hanging basket.

[0024]Life cycle.—Tender perennial.

[0025]Time to produce a rooted cutting.—6 weeks.

[0026]Time to bloom from propagation.—10 weeks.

[0027]Flowering season.—spring and summer.

[0028]Flowering requirements.—No particular requirements, day neutral

[0029]Resistance/susceptibility.—Excellent resistance to rain, heat anddrought. Will not tolerate temperatures below 10 C. Plants aresusceptible to Botrytis, powdery mildew, various stem and root rots, andcertain viruses, like Tobacco Mosaic Virus and Impatiens NecroticSpotted Virus. Plants can be infested with aphids, leafminer, whiteflyand various Lepitopdera.

[0030]Form.—branching, dense.

[0031] Stems:

[0032]Stem color.—R.H.S. 144B (yellow-green).

[0033]Pubescence.—Heavy.

[0034]Pubescence color.—Clear.

[0035]Pubescence shape.—Pointed.

[0036]Stem description.—Round, slightly ancipital.

[0037]Stem diameter.—2.0 mm.

[0038]Internode length.—1.5 to 2.5 cm.

[0039] Leaves:

[0040]Leaf tip.—Mucronate.

[0041]Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.

[0042]Leaf base.—Decurrent.

[0043]Leaf color.—Upper surface: R.H.S. 137A (green); lower surface:R.H.S. 138B (green).

[0044]Leaf fragrance.—Absent.

[0045]Leaf margin.—Entire.

[0046]Leaf surface.—Rough.

[0047]Leaf surface pubescence.—Slight.

[0048]Petiole color.—R.H.S. 138B (green).

[0049]Petiole length.—3.0 mm.

[0050]Leaf length.—3.0-3.5 cm.

[0051]Leaf shape.—Elliptical.

[0052]Leaf width.—8.0 mm-1.0 cm.

[0053] Flowers:

[0054]Calyx.—5 sepals; 3.0×2.0 mm (l×w); free.

[0055]Corolla.—5 petals, fused.

[0056]Flower diameter.—1.5 cm.

[0057]Bud color.—R.H.S. 144D (yellow-green).

[0058]Bud shape.—Ovate.

[0059]Bud surface.—Pubescent.

[0060]Ovary.—Superior.

[0061]Duration of flower life.—5 days.

[0062]Flowering habit.—Indeterminate.

[0063]Placenta arrangement.—Central.

[0064]Peduncle size.—1.0 mm diameter; 2.5 mm length, slightly, shortpubescence.

[0065]Inflorescence type.—Solitary.

[0066]Stamens.—Free.

[0067]Stamen color.—R.H.S 7C (yellow).

[0068]Stigma color.—R.H.S. 149A (yellow-green).

[0069]Style color.—R.H.S. 149A (yellow-green).

[0070]Petal size.—2 mm×1 mm (l×w).

[0071]Petal color.—upper surface: R.H.S. 83B (violet) with R.H.S. 86A(violet) mid-vein and corolla throat; lower surface: R.H.S. 79C(purple); corolla tube: inner surface: R.H.S. 3C (yellow) with R.H.S.86A (violet) veins; outer surface: R.H.S. 9C (yellow) with R.H.S. 79C(violet) viens.

[0072]Pollen color.—R.H.S. 9B (yellow).

[0073]Produces seed.—None.

COMPARISON WITH MOST SIMILAR VARIETY

[0074] ‘Kakegawa S45’ is a distinct variety of Calibrachoa owing to itsdeep blue flower with dark purple throat and yellow tube. ‘Kakegawa S45’is most similar to the variety ‘Million Bells Trailing Blue’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. PP 9885) however there are numerous differences as shown in thetable below. ‘Million Characteristic ‘Kakegawa S45’ Bells Trailing Blue’Stem and Leaf Heavy Slight Pubescence Upper Petal Mid-vein Distinctcolor from Same color as petal surface petal surface Pollen Color RHS 9B(yellow) RHS 5B (yellow)

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant as shown anddescribed herein.